Fedor Gál

(1945- )

GÁL, FEDOR (1945– ), Slovak publicist, political scientist, sociologist, and publisher, born of Slovak parents in the Terezín concentration camp. He attained a master's degree in chemistry and doctorates in both sociology and economics and worked in the field of prognostics. In 1989 he was a founder and chairman of the political movement the Public against Violence, which won the elections in Slovakia in 1990. Due to internal disagreements in the movement and antisemitism aimed at him, he left Slovakia. From 1991 he lived in Prague. Gál is active in numerous civic non-governmental organizations; he issued an animated TV series for children; and co-produced a CD ROM, Franz Kafka Lived in Prague (in three languages).

He published the following works: a futurologist monograph Možnosť a skutečnosť ("Possibility and Reality," 1990); a reflection of events in Slovakia after 1989 Z prvej ruky ("From the First Hand," 1991); a study of the identity of Jews and Romas O jinakosti ("On Diversity," 1998); a series of essays Vízie a ilúzie ("Visions and Illusions," 2000); essays on the identity of the human being Lidský úděl ("The Human Fate," 2004); and 1 + 1 (2004).